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Scripture Reading: Gen. 4:8-11; Heb. 12:24; 1 John 5:6, 8
These verses mention the blood of the Lord and the blood of Abel. Hebrews 12:24 tells us concerning the Lord's blood that "the blood...speaks something better than that of Abel." The blood of the Lord Jesus speaks something better than that of Abel. Why does the blood of the Lord Jesus speak something better than that of Abel? Today I would like to speak briefly about this.
Why was Abel killed? Cain killed him because he envied him. God looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but He did not look with favor on Cain and his offering. Therefore, Cain became jealous of Abel and killed him in the field. Why did the Jews bring the Lord Jesus to the Praetorium before the governor? According to Pilate, "he knew that it was because of envy that they had delivered Him up" (Matt. 27:18). The only reason the Jews killed the Lord Jesus was that they envied the Lord. Abel was envied by Cain and killed by Cain. The Lord Jesus was envied by the Jews and killed by the Jews.
Why does the blood of the Lord Jesus speak something better than that of Abel? Abel's blood cried out to God from the ground, demanding God to avenge Him according to righteousness and judge the sin of the man who caused him to bleed. The blood of the Lord Jesus voiced its plea that God treat man with grace and forgive those who caused Him to bleed. The blood of Abel required that God execute righteousness. Once God executed righteousness, Adam's child, the sinful Cain, had no place to hide. The blood of the Lord Jesus requires God to execute righteousness also. But when God executes righteousness, He forgives us our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. The Lord Jesus died for us. Since God punished Him, He cannot punish us. God asked Cain, "Where is Abel thy brother?" He said, "I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?" What if God asks us today, "Where is your brother Abel?" We thank and praise God that today we can answer: "He was killed by us, but His blood does not accuse us." The blood of the Lord Jesus does not accuse us. This is an amazing salvation!
Why does the Bible say that the blood can speak? First John says the blood testifies. The blood has two functions. One is to propitiate for us before God; the other is to provide a guarantee for us before God. Many people only see that the blood of the Lord Jesus propitiates for us but do not see that the blood of the Lord Jesus provides us a guarantee before God. The blood of the Lord is for redemption on the earth and for a testimony in the heavens; it testifies that redemption is accomplished on the earth. On earth the Lord shed His blood to be our Savior; in heaven He serves as our eternal Savior.
What happened on the great day of propitiation? The blood was poured onto the ground from the altar, and it was also brought into the Holy of Holies by the high priest and put on the ark. The blood shed on the ground was gone after several days; it dried out and became dust. But the blood brought into the Holy of Holies speaks for us eternally. The blood shed on the ground is for propitiation, while the blood brought into the Holy of Holies speaks before Jehovah and testifies. On the one hand, the Lord shed His blood to forgive our sins and to make propitiation for us; on the other hand, the blood is put before God to speak and testify for us. The sprinkled blood in heaven testifies to the fact of the shed blood (propitiation) on the earth.
What does this blood testify? For the blood to be before God means that the fact of propitiation is before God. The blood voicelessly testifies before God and guarantees our eternal peace. If there was no shedding of blood (propitiation) on earth, where did this sprinkled blood before God come from? The blood testifies for God; it tells us that God loves us. Otherwise, where does this blood come from? At the same time, the blood testifies for us that we are saved. Otherwise, why was this blood shed? The blood testifies, on the one hand, the love of God and, on the other hand, our salvation. At the same time, it testifies to Satan so that he can no longer accuse us. Thank and praise God; what the blood of the Lord Jesus speaks is better than that of Abel. This blood is for forgiving, not for avenging; it is for peace, not for accusation.
Our Lord shed His blood once and accomplished everything. Today before God, we have the proof of our salvation. Some say that they are saved because of a certain time of repentance. Some say that they are saved because they were so happy after they prayed a certain time. But these feelings are not dependable. I am a saved person because the Lord's blood testifies before God. What the blood of the Lord speaks of is better than that of Abel. Abel's blood spoke from the ground and demanded the blood of the one who killed him. The blood of the Lord speaks from heaven and declares His forgiveness of the one who killed Him. The blood of the Lord testifies for us in heaven forever. Brothers and sisters, we thank and praise God that the blood of the Lord testifies in heaven! We seldom realize how the blood of the Lord speaks. If we did, our table here would take on new significance. The cup not only stands for and expresses something but also tells us that the blood is speaking. We thank and praise God because the blood of Christ cleanses us from all our sins. At the same time, the blood of Christ testifies for us before God. With this testimony, God cannot refuse us anything. Christ has already died and resurrected. Who can accuse us? We thank and praise God!
